THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
than the home nurseryman. But there has been so much injury done 
to the fruit industry of the province by unscrupulous dealers and pedd¬ 
lers who have gone througli the country persuading people to purchase, 
bj' holding out various inducements. They have then gone across the 
line ; bought up a lot of cull stock, or more likely, surplus varieties, 
that nurseries there were offering cheap. They have then tilled their 
orders for all vtirieties and labeled them accordingly, from such trees 
as they have thus been able to get cheap. 
The intelligent fruit grower is beginning to find this out now and is 
bujdng direct either from home nurseries or reliable nurseries in other 
parts ; or their duly authorized agents. We thus hope to see this 
trouble somewhat lessened in the future. 
We think some of our eastern brethern would he somewhat surprised, 
were they to see the fine vigorous growth young trees make in the 
nurseries on this coast. Even on the light uplands under fair cultiva¬ 
tion without any fertilizers, as strong a tree can be produced here at 2 
j^ears as in the East at 3 years. Ten feet from the hud the first year is 
not an uncommon growth for plum trees to make. These yearling trees 
topped back form trees at 2 years usually with a cadiper of 1 inch and 
well developed growth in all parts. Owing to the loose character of 
our soil the roots are i)articularly strong and fibrous, thus making them 
bear transplanting well. 
Regarding plum trees in British C’olumhia, we wish to say in growth 
of wood and in production of fruit we believe we can excel in the 
nursery and the orchard any other country. Cherry trees also make 
the same remarkably strong growth and are also well adapted to the 
province, especially the sweet varietiss. Apple trees do not grow cpiite 
so vigorously, but the size attained at 2 years from the bud, even on 
light lands with ordinary cultivation, makes a tree as large as can be 
transplanted to advantage. 
Pears, we find, make the least satisfactory growth of any of the fruit 
trees, and not all varieties are well adapted to this province. Peaches, 
although producing fine trees in the nursery, succeed so poorly in the 
orchard that they are being but little planted. In ornamental stock 
the demand has been so light that the nurserymen have not as yet 
found it profitable to propagate it to any great extent. 
We have until within the last few years been very little troubled 
with disease of any kind or insect pest in the nursery but fungous 
diseases. Mildews and blights as well as insects have now become 
more or less prevalent, so we have now to depend on the sprayer 
largely to keep free of these things. 
The nurserymen are largely assisted in their endeavors to keep fruit 
pests out of the province b}' the Provincial Board of Horticulture, 
whose rules are very strict in regard to the inspection of imported 
stock. Fungous diseases and some of the insects live so well in most 
parts of our province, where they get a foothold, that we find the only 
safeguard for our nurseries and orchards is to wage a continual warfare 
against these pests. 
The nurserymen of this province, knowing their interests and those 
of the fruit grower to be mutual, have made it their study, both by 
practical experiments and observations, to learn what varieties are 
best adapted to this climate, so as to propagate entirely these kinds, a 
very important matter, as all known good varieties, of apples especially, 
do not succeed equally well here. 
The Dominion Experimental Farm located here has been of great 
service under its able management, to the nurserymen and fruit growers 
in this respect; as every known variety of api>les and other hardy fruits 
is being tested fairly there, constituting the greatest collection of 
varieties on any farm in the world, and thus giving a most valuable 
object lesson to all interested. 
We are pleased to find the nurserymen of Oregon have formed so 
valuable an association, and we feel highly honored by their kind invita¬ 
tion to read a paper and to present it at so important a convention. 
Although the nursery iudinstry in British Columbia is yet not very 
great, we hope to see it ere long on an equal footing, comparatively, 
with Oregon or other parts, and that instead of our Province being 
largely supplied with imported trees, we may be in a position to ex¬ 
change stock with you, only to our mutual advantage, and I farther 
hope to see this association, so favorably started here, soon extend all 
over the Northern Pacific coast, and that we may all annually meet in 
such conventions as these. G. W. Hknky. 
I 29 
V.\I,U.\I!LE r.VCIKrC COAST SEEDLINGS. 
The subject on which I was asked to contribute a paper, “Valuable 
Pacific Coast Seedlings,” is too wide to be covered fully at this time, 
and the following remarks will, therefore, of necessity, be somewhat 
topical, without assuming to desca-ibe or mention all the fnuts of great 
merit which have originated on this coast. 
Seedling fruits may be divided into three clas.ses : First, those ot 
purely accidental origin ; second, those whose origin is the result of 
some purpose or intent, and third, fruits which have originated from 
careful and systematic hybridizing, with a specific purpose. 
Almost every fruit grower has raised some fruit under this first class, 
and, without a doubt, vast numbers of the.se “accidental seedlings” 
have been propagated and placed upon the market, when they should 
never have been known outside of their particular birthplace. 
It is the delight of the orchardist to believe that the peach or plum 
which had its origin on his place is a little better than any other. He 
will persuade the local nurseryman to take it up, propagate it, and 
offer it for sale, while it may not be as good as others well known, or 
at least it is so similar that its propagation would only lead to more 
confusion in nomenclature. 
Accidental or chance seedlings which are believed to be distinct, and 
of superior merit should be tested for at least three years, and then 
submitted to the State Horticultural Society, or some organized body, 
for approval or rejection, and, if approved, for a name also. 
Some of our most valued fruits have their origin in this way, as mere 
chance seedlings, notable among which are Marshall’s Red Apple, Muir 
Peach, Clymau Plum, Tennant Prune, McDevitt Peach and many 
others. 
The production of good fruits under my second heading is simply 
a practical illustration of the law of natural selection. 
The seeds from specimens of the finest fruits from the finest trees are 
carefully planted and cultivated. From the plants resulting, wood is 
selected from the most promising, and, to hasten maturity grafted on an 
okler tree. From this method often are produced fruits noticeably finer 
than their maternal parent. 
The late B. 8. Fox of San Jose, California, introduced some fine pears 
in this way, as P. Barry, Wilder, B. S. Fox. Some of the finest cherries 
now generally propagated were originated in this way by W. H. Chap¬ 
man of Napa, California, such as Centennial, seedling of Napoleon 
Bigarreau; Chapman, seedling of Black Tartarian, ripening much 
earlier ; California xVdvance, seedling of Purple Guigne. 
Seth liewelling of Milwaukee, Oregon, has introduced several well 
known cherries, as Black Republican, Lewelling and Bing ; also a seed¬ 
ling of Italian prune which he called Golden, an enormous bearer and 
valuable in many ways. 
There is much room for further experiment in this direction. The 
method is so sinqile that any careful grower can apply it, and thereby 
probably improve many varieties, or produce some that are entirely 
distinct. 
New varieties artificially jiroduced by hydridization are much less 
numerous, but it is a work which should be encouraged, not only 
amongst private individuals, but under state patronage and support. 
Many old varieties need to be weeded out from the nursery catalogues, 
and the indiscriminate propagation of everybody’s fine seedling dis¬ 
couraged. Luther Burbank of California has, perhaps, done more than 
any other to really improve on old established varieties by hybridizing. 
In order to do this intelligently it is necessary to devote one’s whole 
time to it, and even then, one must be prepared foi- many failures and 
disappointments. 
Amongst the most valuable varieties thus produced, and recently 
introduced are Giant and Splendor Prunes, and Wickson Plum. The 
two former are crosses between Pond’s seedling and Petite d’Agen, and 
the latter a Japanese cross between Kelsey and Burbank. 
The Giant and Wickson will be two of the finest and largest plums 
and most valuable for long shipments in a fresh state. The Splendor 
bids fair to revolutionize the prune industry, having the good qualities 
of both parents. 
1 wish every success to the (.)regou Association of Nurserymen ; it 
has commenced a good work, and it can be of incalculable benefit, not 
only to the nurserymen of the Pacific coast, but to the whole fruit 
industry. Leoxakd Co.^tes. 
